Mike Savino’s Band the Tall Tall Trees = Allman Brothers Meets the Muppets

November 7, 2010 3 Comments

I didn’t make up the “Allman Brothers Meets the Muppets Line” but it made me laugh and I think it fits.

I first met frontman Mike Savino whem he was an acoustic bass player in a jazz trio that I listened to every week in the East Village, NYC, way back in the year of 2001. And then a few years later I started getting promo emails about banjos and roots music, which is way more my speed than jazz. But some how, shame on me, I never made it to those shows. But, finally, when the Tall Tall Trees played a show in Boston a few months ago, I finally got a chance to see what the friendly, quiet bass player had been up to – and I was impressed. Shredding banjo. Songwriting. Singing. Arranging. For me, it’s the arranging that is the piece de resistance- It’s hard enough to write an engaging song about being chased by Sallie Mae for your student loans.. much less with enough true musical virtuosity to make you second guess whether the song is about money or an actual girl. And even though “The Girl From The Chinese Food Restaurant” isn’t one of my favorite tracks on the CD, it also exemplifies the fact that good songs are both what you say and how you say it – the dexterity of sound to flavor in the lyric is skill the rest of us will spend a lifetime learning how to be imaginative enough to replicate.

My favorite tracks from their current album are “Spaceman”, “The Opposite Song” and “Heart Says Go”.

Check it all out on their MySpace or CD Baby page.

I hope I don’t come across as pandering too much to them – as I fully confess to being the unofficial president of the Mike Savino fan club. I caught up with him recently and got a few answers to questions that inquiring minds just might want to know.  Enjoy!

One of my favorite tunes:

What it means to play shredding banjo:

Michael P. Savino

Home-base: NYC

Where do you find your writing inspiration:

Of course, like anyone else, I draw from my own life when I’m writing. I try to pay attention to the little moments and interactions between people and things that some might overlook. The other day I was on the train and saw a father take his young daughter’s hand so sweetly as they were leaving the subway. They seemed so happy. Or maybe he was a pedophile. Not sure.

First gig you ever played:

Bald Hill Amphitheater – Long Island, NY, August 26th, 1991

My band Final Judgement opened for local butt rock heroes, Heartless Wager. I am quite shocked that I remember these details.

Favorite song/most inspirational song as a kid:

Michael Jackson “Off the Wall” got worn out by my fisher price tape player. Also “Weird Al” rocked my world.

First song you learned to play:

Probably something by Led Zeppelin or the theme from the Smurfs.

Artist you’d most like to be on stage with:

Living? Robert Plant

Dead? Hendrix

Things you are juggling:

Well, currently I’m writing and preparing for the new Tall Tall Trees album which we start recording later this month. We have a few shows lined up for the winter as well and we’ll hopefully go on tour in the spring. In between all that I’m teaching banjo and playing music for kids.

Biggest challenge about being an independent musician:

I’d say it’s the amount of time I have to spend on the business side of things. I end up sitting in front of a computer booking gigs and doing a lot of self promotion which I hate. I just want to play banjo and write tunes.

Best thing about being an independent musician:

The artistic freedom and seeing the fruits of your hard work materialize.

Gear:

I mostly play a modified Bart Reiter banjo with a humbucker pick up and an Oscar Schmidt parlor guitar from the 30s. I think Leadbelly used to play one.

Dream gear?

Yikes. I’d love me a lot of things. How about a pre WW1 Gibson Banjo to start.

Anything else you’d like to add or promote?

Of course. We have been raising money for our new album on a great new website called Kickstarter.com. There are only a few days left to pre-order our new record. It really helps us remain independent artists.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1510140949/tall-tall-trees-the-sequel

 

 

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